Over 70 property owners, residents and their guests gathered at the Ballinger Clubhouse for the Mountlake Terrace Evergreen Awards Ceremony in late September to honor 2019 winners.
The Evergreen Award Program recognizes residents and businesses who take pride in maintaining their properties and those who help promote conservation as part of the city’s sustainability strategy.
This year’s presentation featured 24 award winning properties in six neighborhoods including 13 Best Maintained Residence Awards and one Best Maintained Business, Las Espuelas Family Mexican Restaurant. In addition, there were eight Best Transformation Awards that recognized owners who renovated their properties to become assets to the community. Hemlock State Brewing Company and Safeway were two of those successful transformations as well as Lake Ballinger Estates which is located across from Ballinger Park. Two Most Sustainable Awards were presented to residents who had created front yard gardens using sustainable principles.
One winner stated in an email to the city, “My wife and I received the Evergreen Awards for best maintained property in the Gateway neighborhood, which made us very proud but more important, very moved by the show of goodwill for recognizing its constituents. Such a kind act does not go unnoticed and it reflects the real values and soul of the City of Mountlake Terrace.”
Winners attended a dessert reception and were presented with a plaque to display at their property. The city presented a slide show of winning properties and narrated a description of the main features and/or improvements made, along with stories of what people love about Mountlake Terrace. Common themes included sense of community, friendly and welcoming, proximity to Seattle area and nearby job centers, good schools, and accessibility.
"There’s something very special about the Evergreen Awards,” stated Community Relations Director Virginia Olsen. “The program helps us make positive connections with our residents and businesses and really celebrates the Mountlake Terrace community.”
The next Evergreen Awards recognition will be in 2021 as the city plans to move to an every other year format. “In a community of only four square miles, we have decided that this change will result in more nominees since property owners can only win once in a particular category,” added Olsen.
More information about the Evergreen Awards is available at www.cityofmlt.com/481 and you can send nominations to cityhall@ci.mlt.wa.us.
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